This dish kind of happened by accident. I follow a lot of food blogs, and may have even posted on Facebook about wanting to try these delicious looking chive pancakes. I did end up making them, but it made so many that I wasn't sure what to do with the extras. Since they felt to me more like crepes, I decided a savory crepe would be perfect for dinner.

I was thinking along the lines of spring rolls, with cool crisp veggies, and tacos. I had a number of veggies in my fridge, and with 2 heads of cabbage from the last two CSA boxes, I knew I could marry the two and find a winner!I almost always have shrimp on hand, but you could use a flaky whitefish, salmon or even chicken. I had shrimp, so I cleaned them up and let them marinate in some lime juice and 1 clove of minced garlic. While those were sitting, I made this easy slaw (the same slaw I use for fish tacos) and then sliced up some raw veggies.

I chopped cucumbers into matchsticks, sliced some baby bell peppers thin and sliced up some scallions.To sauté your shrimp, heat 1-2 T olive oil on medium heat, dump in the shrimp and let cook for about 2 min. Flip them and let them cook 1 -2 more minutes, depending on their size. You don't want to overcook shrimp or it will become rubbery. When they turn pink, they are done. Remove them from the heat, they'll continue to cook through.When the shrimp were done, I layered all of this down the center of a crepe, folded over and ate. Easy and different! And now I know how to use up extra crepes!

Labor Day has come and gone, kids are back to school and the crazy schedules have resumed. If you're anything like me (even without kids) you wonder how the days fly by so fast. There don't seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish everything on my to-do list. So when it comes to dinners, there is no way we are eating healthy balanced meals unless I plan ahead.I know, I know, planning takes effort and time and blah, blah, blah. Here's the deal, plain and simple: If you want to eat healthy you have to plan ahead. I'm not kidding - you're probably making it much more difficult than it needs to be, but one of the most frustrating things I deal with when working with clients are people who expect that a healthy, well-balanced meal is just going to show up on their dinner tables each night. I can give you all of the tips you want, but if you don't use them nothing will change.Ready for a change?You don't need a fancy notepad or a thousand cookbooks - you just need a piece of scratch paper, a writing utensil and some basic knowledge of cooking.The more often you do this the easier it will become, but for starters, you want to set aside at least an hour or two a week. I like to do this on Sundays after church. I plan out my meals, get my recipes in order, take things out to thaw, chop and prep. The number one mistake I find people making is that they plan their meals around protein. If they have chicken they try and come up with a chicken dish. Then when half the produce in their fridge goes bad because they didn't use it up fast enough, they complain that healthy eating is expensive and they end up throwing things away.Rule #1: Plan your meals around your produce, not your protein.Why not plan your meals around the things that are going to spoil first if you don't use them? Afterall, the meat can sit in your freezer for a month, but the bok choy will only last a few days.Make a list of all of the items you have in your fridge or pantry that will go bad if you don't use them in the next week. Then make a list of all of the proteins you have and then the "extras" you have in your pantry (canned tomatoes, beans, pasta, etc). Remember you only need a handful of recipes for the week - there will most likely be leftovers. Also keep in mind produce that is starting to lose it's "oomph" can easily be thrown in a sauté, or baked in a dish and no one will ever know it was on it's last leg.Rule #2: Utilize your resources.Don't be afraid to browse cookbooks, food blogs (ahem) and even Pinterest (even though I think Pinterest is the devil and you'll end up needing to set aside 5 hours a week instead of 1 for this task). Just keep one thing in mind: you're not Martha Stewart, and unless you're entertaining a crowd every night of the week, your family will just be happy that you're putting hot, healthy food on the table.Rule #3: Get your spouse/kids involved.

I realize the last sentence in the above paragraph might not be realistic. I happen to have a husband that isn't picky, but if you do have picky eaters, ask their input. Especially kids, don't forget to ask them what they would like to eat during the week. If they pick the meals, then they will take ownership in that meal and want to eat it. Don't forget to have them help you cook it too!Rule #4: Write it down.I have a whiteboard in my kitchen that lists out: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday....and next to each day is listed what we're eating. If I have salad mix that needs to get eaten and cherry tomatoes that are getting wrinkly, then I'll grill up some chicken breast and make Southwest Chicken Salads. After you have your list of what you have and what recipes look good to your family, write it down so that you have an action plan. This doesn't mean the plan can't change, but knowing what you intend to make the next night will help you to take meat of the freezer the night before, get a head start on chopping veggies and adding any additional items you need from the store to your weekly list so you're not stuck that night without an ingredient.Writing it down will also help you identify nights that might be a bit crazier than normal that week. If you've got soccer practice Tuesday nights and piano lessons on Thursdays, you can plan meals those evenings that take less time to prep and cook.Rule #5: Do as much as you can ahead of timeI mentioned earlier that you should set aside 1-2 hours. If you have your weekly list written out, and you know you'll need chopped veggies for stir fry, chop them that day and then store them in a container in the fridge until the night you need them. If you need to grate some cheese or make a marinade, do it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you need it. The more steps you can get out of the way, the less time you'll spend scrambling that night.These are just some basic steps to help you get started. To help save more time, do one grocery store trip in a week. If you are planning ahead and writing it down, you'll know what items you need for each meal that you don't already have at home. This way you're also less likely to purchase a bunch of food at the store that you'll never eat before it goes bad. Grocery stores are like Targets, you need a list to stay on track or you'll end up spending more than you need on things you won't use.Meal planning can be very enjoyable, once you get the hang of it! I encourage you to set time aside each week to make this a family practice. You spend time each week planning out when you'll get your nails done, see friends, and even what you'll wear - why don't you plan what you feed yourself and your family? Afterall, isn't what you put IN your body more important than what you put ON it?Here's a sample of our menu this week - where I had a lot of zucchini to get rid of!Sunday: Labor Day Cookout at Dad'sMonday: Zucchini Pizza and SaladTuesday: Fresh Brats on the grill and grilled zucchini with tomato vinaigretteWednesday: Pasta with Pesto Sauce and Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion SaladThursday: Dinner Out with FriendsFriday: Pork Chops with Scallion Citrus Relish and Salad with Avocado dressingSaturday: Honey - Jalapeno Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Chili Corn-on-the-cobI'd love to hear any additional tips and comments you have. Has meal planning become a part of your routine?XoXo,Nicole

Summer squash has been abundant in our CSA box this season. It's usually one of the first veggies harvested, and it grows so well, that we always get a couple each time we pick up our box. I typically grill or roast squash, but occasionally add it raw to a salad. It's so versatile and has a crisp, fresh taste when raw, which makes it great with a salad of greens or grains.Even though the quinoa provides enough protein, I did add some black beans to this salad for a boost of flavor. I soaked and cooked dry beans, but you could just use a can of black beans, if that's your preference.

I started with one zucchini and one yellow squash, chopped into bite-sized pieces. I halved a handful of cherry tomatoes and minced some red onion. When the beans were done cooking, I added those next. While you're chopping all of these veggies, it's good to have your quinoa cooking.

You could add the quinoa (I used a mix of black and white quinoa) while it was still hot, but I let mine cool first and ate it at room temperature.While it was cooling, I made my dressing. I used a simple combination of EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and some cumin. Add your quinoa to the veggies, pour the dressing over top and toss. Garnish with fresh herbs. I used some basil, but you could use cilantro, parsley, etc.

Yesterday was my husband's birthday. Normally I cook at home for his birthday, and he treats me to a night of no cooking for mine. Our CSA recently started, and we've been getting quite a bit of Hakurei turnips. Turnips look similar to radishes, but have a much more mild taste. They can be eaten raw or cooked, and the greens are excellent to eat too. Turnips are a fantastic source of many minerals and nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin C, phosphorous and potassium.

Since we had another bunch I decided to add them to the sweet potato hash I was making to eat with our fish. They added a wonderful texture, and I ended up with this delicious recipe!Sweet Potato and Turnip Hashserves 41 bunch turnips, cleaned and trimmed1 sweet potato, peeled 1 celery stalk1/2 red onion, minced2 cloves garlic, mincedolive oil1/2 t cinnamonsalt & pepper to tasteChop the turnips, sweet potato and celery into small, uniform pieces.

Add 2 T olive oil to a cast iron skillet (or similar frying pan) over medium high heat. Meanwhile, add all of your veggies to a bowl and toss with salt, pepper and cinnamon. I do this before adding to my pan so that everything is mixed together nicely and I don't have to do a lot of flipping and mixing in my skillet. I don't know about you, but I'm messy and end up with tons of food all over my stovetop. But, do as you wish.I let it sit for about 5 minutes before I flipped the vegetables around. You want the veggies to get soft, but also to get a nice carmelized color and crust on them.

I flipped every 5 minutes or so, and after 20 mintues my hash was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Each time you flip, use your spatula to push the veggies down onto the pan. You almost have to smoosh them (not too hard though, you're making a hash - not a mash!)Serve with your favorite main dish (although I seriously could have eaten a whole bowl of just this!) I also think this would be excellent as a breakfast, with a fried egg on top!

I have been on such an Asian food kick lately, I have no idea what has gotten into me. I'm craving the salty taste of soy sauce and daydreaming of every mouthwatering bite of crunchy veggies. Oh, and I've had an abundance of cabbage (still leftover from my last CSA box in December!) - since cabbage is one of my favorite foods to add to Asian dishes, I suppose it all makes much more sense now. Glad we figured that out.The dish itself is a mix between a thousand other noodle bowl recipes that are floating out there on the web. It's vegetarian but packed full of protein with the addition of soba noodles, rather than typical brown or white rice. If you've never tried soba noodles, they are delicious. While they don't really have a distinct flavor, they are hearty and are easily digested. Low in fat but rich in minerals like manganese, make them a nutritious add to any meal. You can find soba noodles in the Asian food aisle at your local grocer.

Asian Veggies with Soba Noodlesserves 41/2 head of a large cabbage, shredded1 red bell pepper, sliced thin2 cloves garlic, minced1 can corn cobs, cut into smaller bite sized pieces1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts olive oila few glugs of soy saucered pepper flakes, optional1 small pack of soba noodles Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add cabbage, bell pepper and garlic. Saute until veggies begin to get tender - about 5-7 minutes. Add corn cobs, season with soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Cook soba noodles in boiling water, according to directions on the package. When done, add noodles to the veggie mix and top with scallions.

I love garlic. I once made a caesar salad and put 8 cloves of garlic in it. I then proceeded to eat the whole huge bowl of salad. I smelled of garlic for days. I wasn't sick for two years. Seriously, I kid you not.I've learned since then that 8 cloves of garlic in one sitting isn't good for anyone, so I usually stick to 2 and I'm good! This dish has a perfect amount of garlic, as well as other fresh goodies. The garlic from the pesto, as well as the fresh garlic, are wonderful. You can certainly use less if you don't like the taste, but it's not as strong as you may think.It makes a nice warm, creamy dinner. A true comfort food.On these first few snowy nights of winter, why don't you cozy up to a bowl of this deliciousness? Don't like shrimp? No problem, just add chicken or another kind of seafood.

Garlic Pesto Shrimpserves 61 lb fresh shrimp, cleaned1 vine ripe tomato, diced2 leeks, sliced whites and light greens2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 c vegetable broth1 c homemade pestosalt pepperolive oillemon, for garnishHeat some olive oil in your pan, add the leeks, garlic and tomato. Saute until tender and then add the broth. Remove from the pan and add your shrimp. Cook until just opaque and then flip. As soon as the shrimp are pink they are done. Remember they will continue to cook after you remove them from the heat, so don't overcook or they will become rubbery. Turn the heat off and add the tomatoe mixture back into the pan. Stir in the pesto until warmed through (feel free to turn the heat on low if you need to keep it warm). Serve over rice, noodles or eat plain!

One of my biggest weaknesses is potatoes. I don't discriminate. I love them mashed, baked, roasted, or fried. Pretty much any way you can make a potato, I will devour it. In an effort to make my weakness a bit healthier, I added kale! When all else fails just add some kale, right?These potatoes are delish! Give 'em a shot....you won't be disappointed!

Kale Mashed Potatoesserves 61 lb. potatoes (red, Yukon or sweet), peeled and cubed3 T butter1/2 c almond milkfresh kale, a few leaves - stems removed and chopped1 clove garlic, minced1 small onion, mincedolive oilsalt & pepper to tastePeel your potatoes and place in a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the potatoes to a boil. Let them sit at a rolling boil for about 15-20 min, or until tender.Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a saucepan. Add in your onion and garlic. When tender, add the kale and let it wilt. Remove from heat.When the potatoes are tender, drain them. Add your butter, almond milk and salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher. If they are too dry, add more almond milk a little at a time. When they are creamy, transfer to a bowl and top with the kale mixture.

I do believe these would be a perfect side dish for your holiday meal!What are some of your weaknesses??XoXo,Nicole

So, I realize I'm a few weeks late in posting my Thanksgiving side dish....but I still thought it was worth sharing. The pictures don't do it much justice, but the dish itself was delicious. We spent the holiday with my husband's family in Oklahoma. It was a little different this year, as the past two years we've hosted Thanksgiving at our house. I ended up with the flu for the first part of the trip, so it was nice to only have one dish to make, and to be able to relax the rest of the time. It didn't hurt that it was almost 80 degrees while we were there(;We tried a couple local restaurants, did a little bar hopping (after I felt better) in Tulsa and went antiquing. I found some amazing pieces, and got great ideas that I've used for my holiday decorating this year. I'll save those pictures for a different post. Overall, it was a wonderful trip with my amazing in-laws! Here I am with my beautiful sisters-in-law and fabulous mother-in-law. I'm one lucky lady to have found such a wonderful family to marry into!!

For my side dish this year, I wanted to include some of the fresh veggies we had gotten in my CSA, but knew that not everyone liked brussel sprouts. I am always trying to find new ways to get people to eat their veggies(; From what I was told, the dish was a success!I started with a stalk of brussel sprouts, two oranges and a winter squash (any will do)

If you buy your sprouts from the store, they will most likely already be off of the stalk. Either way, just trim the stems and halve them. Peel and cube your winter squash. Toss both with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, juice your oranges and add the zest from one orange. Add in 1 T of cointreau (an orange flavored liqueur), 1/3 c of pure maple syrup and just a dash of cinnamon. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes. Whisk together to incorporate the flavors. After the veggies have been roasting for 20 mintues, pour half of the orange mixture over the veggies and roast another 10 mintues.When they are done roasting, put in a serving dish and top with the remaining orange sauce. Serve warm.

Speaking of holidays....here's my first deal of the holiday season! If you're new to experimenting with gluten-free baking, or just want some healthier options, let me know. Grab some girlfriends or schedule a solo baking session!

Thanksgiving week is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It starts with the Sunday before, which includes holiday prep, house cleaning and football. Monday and Tuesday are usually slow work days, which means I get caught up and prepared for the long weekend ahead (which, in my business, is one of the ONLY times I get 5 days in a row that I don't feel the need to check my email or voicemail...it's a beautiful thing). Wednesday is prep day - all day in the kitchen so that I don't have to be on Thursday, it ends with church. Thursday, oh Thanksgiving how I love you. I love waking up early to get the last of everything ready. THen the house fills with people, laughter and love. We put together care packages for soliders while we watch football, making sure to take time to remember that there are many people not as fortunate to be with loved ones as we are. Friday is leftover day. Saturday begins Christmas decorating.Who wouldn't love that week?This year is going to be a little different. It's the first year my husband and I aren't hosting, but rather traveling to be with his family instead. So, the week will look a little different; however, it will still be filled with love, laughter and wonderful memories. If you're still looking for a tasty side dish, I encourage you to try mashed cauliflower. Don't get me wrong, I know that mashed potatoes and gravy are a staple on the traditional Thanksgiving table. I'm not asking you to replace them, although if you do, you won't hear me complaining! Mashed Cauliflowerserves 41 large head of cauliflower, broken up into florets2 cloves garlic, pressed1 c vegetable broth, or enough to come about half way up your pansalt & pepper to taste1 T chivesPlace all ingredients into a saucepan on medium heat. Cover and let the mixture come to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 min. or until cauliflower is soft.

When the cauliflower is soft, use a potato masher to mash the mixture until there are no lumps.

If you aren't dairy free or vegan, you could add some parmesan cheese for a little extra bite. Otherwise, the dish tastes wonderful just like this. Top with snipped chives.

We had our first snowfall today. I'm not talking the little flurries we've had a few mornings already, this was actual snow that stuck to your car. Granted, it didn't accumulate to much, but Mother Nature is definitely letting us know that winter is coming. I have to admit for as much as I love the fall, I am a tad bit excited for the first *real* snowfall. The kind of snowfall where I can curl up with a cozy fire, cup of tea in hand and watch the flakes fall to the ground through the window. It will be even better with the lights turned low and the twinking of the Christmas tree lights shining out of the corner of my eye. While I like to take my holidays one at a time, you can't help but get excited for those cozy winter nights.Life has been moving at rapid pace this year. I say that every year, but this year I really mean it. There are only 2 more regular deliveries from our CSA before our winter storage box is delivered. This means only a few more weeks of truly fresh vegetables. I know, I know...you can still get fresh veggies from the grocery store. I'm not talking about those fresh veggies. I'm talking about the ones that were literally plucked from the earth that same day. Those veggies are almost done for the year. When I think about it, I really should have planned a little better this summer. You know, when I had green beans coming out of my ears and more peppers than I could count! Instead, I chose to eat them. All of them. Now I've come to my senses and realized if I don't start freezing some of this for winter, I'm going to have to actually go to the grocery store!If any of you are finding yourself in my boat, trying to hang on to the last of your fresh veggies, fret not. You can take those tomatoes and make salsa or sauce for pastas. Or you could can them and save them for roasts or soups later this season. I have no tomatoes left (read: I should have canned while I had the chance), but I do have lots of cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower), peppers, leeks, greens and beets. Freezing fresh veggies is actually very simple:1. Chop them into the size you want

2. Blanch them in boiling water (smaller veggies only need about 2-3 min, larger veggies can boil for about 5 min) just until they really start to get a bright color, yet are still keeping their shape. You DO NOT want to overcook them or they will not stay crisp and will begin to lose their nutrients.

3. Place the veggies into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Seriously, put them in a bowl of ice water(;

4. Allow them to dry off as best as you can without crushing them

5. Once they are dried off and cooled, place into a freezer bag. I like to try and get all of the air out of the bag, or you can use a vacuum, if you have one. Label your bags so that you can be sure to use the oldest veggies first.

That's it! Simple as that. Now you've got veggies to add to soups, stews, stir fries, risottos, pasta, etc. No need to thaw, just toss into whatever your cooking and let them soften back up.Enjoy and stay warm!XoXo,Nicole